
"Those that wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." Though taking a 7 hour trip to Bayan Olgi didn't sound very restful after such a long stint for the guys last month, we found rest for our souls! Bayan Olgi is a rich land full of vast mountains, gorgeous views, and fascinating Kazakh culture.

After gazing upon Krista's Kazakh vest and head scarf many women addressed her as "Kazakh Apai" which means Kazakh aunt. We had many opportunities to practice our language in the 90% Kazakh community and we were even interviewed on local television using our limited language abilities!

A Kazakh Falconer gives Larry an eagle-eye view of His prized pet, trained from the nest. The falcon's very strong grip broke Larry's skin. I suppose that's why the falconers and eagle hunters wear thick leather gloves! (a good picture of the glove in the last picture)

"Eli, hurry! Get out of the way!" Averi rescues Eli from an on-coming horse. Vigilance was highly necessary as horses raced from many directions during the festivities...lots of close calls!

The youngest competitor of the eagle festival (12 years old) claimed second place during Eagle training where the eagles were released from a nearby mountaintop and swooped down for the practice kill. The eagle weighs in at 20lbs resting on the young boy's very strong arm! Also notice the hood over the eagle's eyes, which is not removed until it is time to focus on the prey.
No comments:
Post a Comment